Dehumidification Application
The choice for
desiccant dehumidification®
® Reg. TM Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd.
Dehumidification
in the Marine
Industry
Bry-Air environmental control
systems allow for consistent
control to efficiently prevent the
effects of moisture damage in the
marine industry.
H
umidity problems in the
marine industry are a
constant battle. Moisture
causes damage during new
construction, attacks vulnerable
interior surfaces during
sandblasting, damages engine parts
and causes millions of dollars worth
of damage to moisture sensitive
cargo.
Better quality and faster shipping
periods are being demanded today
as more and more new markets are
being tapped by manufacturers and
Photo Courtesy of MCT Direct Photos
exporters. The time lag between
a ship arriving at the port with a
particular cargo and leaving with
another is getting shorter and
shorter. At the same time there
is also a demand that the ships
holds are clean and dry before
a new cargo is loaded. These
concerns, coupled with the fact
that weather conditions are rarely
perfect for efficient and quick drying
of tanks and holds, means that
today’s shipping companies must
consider desiccant dehumidification
as the most efficient option to
Photo Courtesy of MCT Direct Photos
avoid humidity related delays,
contamination and loss of business.
Ocean going vessels such as oil rigs
and oil tankers are often stored for
long periods of time during which
they frequently become damaged
due to corrosion. Dehumidification
can effectively eliminate corrosion
and prevent millions of dollars in
maintenance and refurbishing costs.
All sandblasting and coating/painting
operations must utilize 100% fresh
air for safety reasons. The presence
of moisture in the air can cause
rusting (blushing) and adhesion
problems in the application of the
coating. Again, dehumidification
eliminates these problems and
speeds up the process. Controlled
dry air maintains a clean surface,
free from condensation, for optimal
corrosion prevention.
Another humidity concern is the fact
that cargo has a tendency to “sweat”
when it is colder than the humid
air in the cargo hold. As a result it
can condense moisture from the
air resulting in rust spots, stained
labels, dull finish and soggy cartons.
This is particularly true of moisture
sensitive cargoes such as tobacco,
fine chemicals, coils, aluminum and
steel sheet, furniture, canned goods,
cocoa, coffee beans, etc.. The use
of a Bry-Air desiccant dehumidifier
to dry the cargo hold will completely
eliminate these problems and allow
the ship to arrive in port with the
cargo dry and intact.
It is recommended that the following
areas of the ship utilize dry air from
the dehumidification process:
1. Cargo Holds/Tanks
2. Machinery/Engine Room
3. Living Quarters
4. Midship Deck House
5. Pump Room
6. Steering Room/Bridge
Whether in storage, dry-dock, or at
sea, Bry-Air dehumidifiers reduce
humidity levels inside the ship
resulting in:
• Prevention of damage to
sensitive mechanical and
electronic equipment.
• Elimination of corrosion of
stored components and machine
parts in shaft galleys and pipe
galleries.
• Reduction in drying time of ship
holds.
• Prevention of cargo damage due
to excessive humidity.
Bry-Air has supplied many
dehumidifiers to the marine industry
and military for ship mothballing,
equipment storage, sandblasting,
coating, and cargo hold drying.

Normally one air change every five

hours is recommended in the design
conditions of 40% RH. A rule of
thumb calculation is:

Total Cubic Feet = Dehumidifier CFM

300 Required

Using the above formula, the

dehumidifier will take about three
weeks to dry the ship to design
conditions after which the unit only
has to run 2-3 hours per day to
maintain conditions.

For more information on Bry-Air’s products and services please visit www.bry-air.com
Bry-Air, Inc. - 10793 St. Rt. 37 W. Sunbury, Ohio 43074 - P: 740.965.2974 - F: 740.965.5470 - E: bryair1@bry-air.com